Nat’l Tymes News Desk
THE ASSEMBLYMAN for the Kotobabi Electoral Area in the Ayawaso Central Constituency of the Greater Accra Region, Tommy Kofi Thompson, has pledged to introduce a more vibrant and effective communication strategy for the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the constituency if elected as Constituency Communication Officer.
Mr. Thompson, an aspiring candidate for the position, made the pledge whilst speaking on the sidelines of an educational support programme organised by the Member of Parliament for Ayawaso Central, Hon. Abdul-Rauf Tubazu, where mattresses and plastic chop boxes were distributed to 400 first-year Senior High School students in the constituency.
He commended the MP for what he described as his commitment to improving the welfare of constituents, particularly students and families who face financial challenges in preparing their children for Senior High School.
According to Mr. Thompson, the intervention is not the first of its kind, explaining that over 300 first-year SHS students benefited from a similar initiative last year, with the number of beneficiaries increasing to 400 this year.
He said the expansion of the programme was a demonstration of the MP’s continued efforts to support constituents and respond to some of the challenges confronting families.
However, Mr. Thompson identified communication and publicity as an area requiring greater attention.
“Hon. Tubazu is working marvelously, but the problem is that people are not hearing and seeing enough of what the MP is doing for the constituents,” he said.
He argued that effective communication was essential not only for publicising the achievements of the MP and the constituency but also for educating party members and the wider public on policies, programmes and interventions being implemented by the NDC government.
It is against this background, he explained, that he decided to contest the Constituency Communication Officer position.
Mr. Thompson said his ambition was to build a communication structure that would take information from the constituency to the grassroots and, equally, bring the concerns of constituents to the attention of the appropriate authorities.
He said his experience as an Assembly Member and his grassroots engagement had given him a practical understanding of the information needs of constituents, adding that these experiences would inform his approach to the communication portfolio.
According to him, the constituency needs a communication system that is timely, proactive, factual and accessible, capable of ensuring that the work being done by the MP, the NDC and government does not go unnoticed.
He further pledged to give greater attention to regular publicity of constituency programmes, government interventions, educational initiatives and other development activities while ensuring that information reaches party members and constituents in a simple and understandable manner.
Mr. Thompson believes that effective communication can help deepen public understanding of government policies, strengthen engagement between the party and its grassroots and ensure that constituents are adequately informed about opportunities and interventions available to them.
He therefore appealed to delegates to give him their mandate in the forthcoming constituency executives elections.
“I am not seeking this position simply for the title. I want to use the office to make communication work better for the party, the MP, government and, most importantly, the people of Ayawaso Central,” he said.
Mr. Thompson expressed confidence that with a strong communication strategy and committed grassroots engagement, the achievements of the constituency and the NDC government could be communicated more effectively to the people.
Source: Nationaltymes.com
